The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, the Florida Farm Bureau, the South Florida Fair and presenting sponsor Wells Fargo, will host the annual Farm City luncheon Nov. 18. Farm City will highlight local agribusiness, since Palm Beach County is one of the largest agriculture counties in the country.
The event’s keynote speaker, Scott Etzel, a senior vice president in Wells Fargo’s Agribusiness Industries Department, will share his economic projections for the local ag industry. Etzel’s portfolio focuses on a variety of agribusiness companies in the fruit, vegetable, seafood, meat, dairy and sweetener industries across Wells Fargo’s North American footprint.
This year’s topic, Food & Feeding, is dedicated to raising awareness about Palm Beach County’s staggering hunger problem. Many people are unaware that 57 percent of the Palm Beach County School District’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, or that the county has the highest percentage of food-insecure individuals who do not qualify for food stamps or other federal nutrition programs.
This year, the keynote address and speakers on the panel will highlight the generosity of local farmers, who often donate much-needed excess crops to local food shelters throughout the year.
The event will feature a panel of experts who will share important information and possible solutions. The panel includes Perry Borman, executive director of the Palm Beach County Food Bank; Dr. Laurie George, president and CEO of the United Way of Palm Beach County; Paco Velez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida; and Denise Hatton, director of public affairs for R.C. Hatton Farms.
In this spirit of giving, and to ensure local individuals and families enjoy a healthy, hearty Thanksgiving meal, the sponsors request that attendees bring canned or non-perishable goods to donate. As is tradition, each guest can expect to walk away with a box of locally grown produce.
Farm City will take place Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center, located at 9067 Southern Blvd.. Tickets are on sale now. To register, visit the chamber web site, www.cpbchamber.com, and click on the Business Calendar.
